Master Dennett lay on his pallet and wept over his hard fate.
Jack and his uncle talked quietly together, recalling many passages of Scripture, and encouraging each other to steadfastness in the trial which they knew was awaiting them. Towards night, the jailer brought in their evening meal, and a large bundle.
"Here are some matters sent you from home," said he to Jack, "bedding and such like, as I guess. Your father hath been here, and has begged me to be kind to you, as why should I not? You never harmed me, I trow."
Jack warmly thanked the jailer, who, surly as he was, seemed disposed, indeed, to be as kind as his duty allowed.
The bundle contained bedding and linen, and artfully concealed in the centre of a great loaf, some paper, a pencil, and the means of striking a light, together with two wax tapers. There was also a Psalter, in which Jack perceived a leaf doubled down. He opened the book, and found underlined the passage, "Be of good courage;" "Fear not," and others of similar import, and doubly underscored the word "Wait." He turned to the first page and read the name of Father John. There were glad tears in the boy's eyes as he showed the book to his uncle.
"The good, kind, old man!" said Thomas Sprat. "I know not what he can do, and yet I thank him with all my heart. I would not have believed anything would lead him to make such an exertion. For myself, I hope nothing in this world save a speedy passage out of it, and that my age gives me warrant to expect: but I would gladly have you, my son, saved from the fiery trial, if it might be done without your denying the faith."
"Better death an hundred times than that!" said Jack.
"Be not confident, young man," said Master Dennett, apparently somewhat displeased. "Better bethink yourself how you will answer when you are brought before the council."
"I am not over-confident, I trust," replied Jack; "but I trust in Him who says, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,' and therefore I am bold to say, 'The Lord is my helper: I will not fear what man may do unto me.' As to meditating how I shall answer, I make bold to refer you to the words of our Lord: 'When they take you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall say. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.'"
"Ay, but those words were not spoken to men like us," said Master Dennett. "They were spoken to apostles and saints."